Telecommunication networks, such as telephone networks, include a number of different components. Typically, telecommunication networks include network devices that are interconnected by links that facilitate communications. Examples of network devices are digital cross connects (DXCs), multiplexing equipment, line termination equipment, computer systems, and fiber transmission systems. A "link," as generally used herein, is a physical connection between the network devices that carry network traffic. A single link may include multiple trunks which are logical channels of communication.
Monitoring and managing telecommunications networks using prior art systems is difficult due to the mixture of different types of systems and interfaces involved. For example, a restoration system that restores traffic in a telecommunications network after a failure must be able to communicate with each of the different types of restoration devices. These restoration systems require human intervention in which many restoration functions are performed by restoration management staff. These restoration functions include monitoring the network, analyzing network problems, configuring network devices and communications links, managing restoration systems, and manual control of network devices (e.g., restoration devices) used in particular to restore the network to a normal operational condition.
Prior art restoration systems enable users to perform some of the restoration functions from a single computer terminal. A computer terminal is well known in the art and includes a display screen and an input device, such as a keyboard. However, in the prior art, restoration management (RM) staff must use many different RM systems, which entails accessing the various RM systems with different interfaces displayed on display screens of one or more RM terminals. In addition to different interfaces, including graphical user interfaces (GUIs), RM staff must use more than one RM terminal, or log on to more than one RM system with the same RM terminal. The RM systems, employing RM terminals for different tasks such as pre-planned management and real-time dynamic restoration, differ from one another, which forces a user to remember a wide assortment of keystroke commands and multiple meanings for function keys because of inconsistent commands and function key definitions among the RM systems. Often times, the commands and function keys are cryptic and hard to remember. Due to the lack of integration of the RM systems and RM terminals, no universal set of commands are applicable, so additional effort is needed in learning multiple commands for the multiple systems for the same or similar function. As a result, additional training, review and operational time is needed and additional costs are incurred to use the many interfaces involved and to perform the multiple log-on tasks or use the multiple RM terminals required with the prior art systems.